Carly's Education Experience

Carly in Pre-School

Carly in Prep (First year of Primary School)

Carly in Grade 5

• I attended Pre-School at age 4 at my local Kindergarten.
• At the age of 5 I began Primary School (Grade Prep) at Maiden Gully Primary School which was in the area which I lived.
• We had to wear a school uniform and the teachers were always referred to by their last names. For example my prep teacher was Mrs. Lesson.
• We had 1 computer for a class of 30 students when I began school in the year of 1995.
• Gradually throughout my time at Primary School we had more and more access to computers which allowed us to gain better skills and understanding of how to use this technology.
• I always enjoyed school, the only thing that I remember not liking were tests. I hated tests, although I was a intelligent student, I always became very anxious when I had to do any form of tests, whether it be maths, english or even P.E. I was always worried if we were going to have a test and I feel that testing resulted in a negative learning experience for me.
• In grade 5 & 6 I had a very strict teacher who would make us do spelling tests every Friday. If you didn't get your 10 spelling words correct, you had to write them out at recess (morning tea/play time). (The spelling words given were very difficult, with most adults not being able to spell most of them or even know what their definition was!)To avoid having to stay in at recess if I got any of the words wrong, I would memorise my 10 words every week to ensure that I got them all correct. However, I can recall not being able to spell the words a week later if I was asked as I hadn't learnt anything, I just learnt how to memorise the words before I was tested on them. Rote learning does not work!
• I was what you would call a 'self-regulated learner' and would always be keen and willing to learn. But on the other hand I always wanted to tell the teacher what I thought they wanted to hear out of fear of getting into trouble. I don't think this is what we want our students to be like, we want to hear their opinions and their thoughts, not just what they think we want to hear.

• The Secondary College that I attended was a Year 7 - Year 10 College. It was a low-socio economic school situated in a disadvantaged area of town. Although my family was not of low-socio economic status (disadvantaged), I went to this school because it was one of the only schools I could get to by bus from my house.
• The school was what you would call a 'rough' type of school. Most students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds and having very dysfunctional (out of control) lives. This made it very difficult for the teachers to teach and to get the students to learn.
• Most of the classes I was in were very chaotic and it did make it difficult to get work done in class. All of us students has a lot of fun but we did not learn a lot. For students like myself we were motivated and self driven, did a lot of our own learning at home, by taking school work home rather than doing it in class time when everyone was having fun and 'mucking' around. A majority of students did not do this though and therefore missed out on a great deal of learning which resulted in many of them not completing their Secondary Education.
• Had large computer labs at the school where we would regularly have the opportunity to use these for learning.

• For the last 2 years of my education I attended Bendigo Senior Secondary College which is a Public Secondary School in the middle of Bendigo for Year 11 and Year 12 students. This school has a very good name and is an excellent school, with over 2000 students they do a fantastic job at catering for their students.
• The last two years of education we call VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education). This is what you achieve at the end of the two years if you complete both years successfully.
• Learning at this level is very self motivated and self driven. Where we live you do not have to complete your secondary education, it is recommended but there are a large number of people who do not.
• I felt it was important for me to not only complete my secondary education and achieve my VCE but to do well at is so as I could be accepted into university and have a career that not only I enjoyed but also paid a decent/good wage.
• These last two years of education were very stressful as I felt a lot of pressure to do well. In Australia, Victoria there is a lot of emphasis on doing well at your VCE and achieving a high ENTER score, which is the results from year 11 and year 12 that determine whether you will be accepted in the university course that you desire or want to be in.

• Currently in my 3rd year of studying at La Trobe.
• A lot of my learning has occurred when I have been in schools and observing (watching) other teachers teach and watching how students are learning.
• Have greatly increased my use of technology since beginning university. I think this is a sign of the times that we are in.
• I am motivated and enjoy learning and expanding my knowledge through studying.
• I think that is very important, that students need to enjoy what they are learning and be interested in what they are learning. There needs to be a reason for why we need to learn something and be presented to them in an interesting and fun format.